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Four asramas (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"asrama means four" |"four asrama" |"four asramas" |"four castes of asrama" |"four kinds of asramas" |"four principles of asrama" |"four stages of asrama" |"four standard asramas" |"four varnas and asrama" |"four varnas and asramas"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.37-39 -- London, July 27, 1973:

Two things are there: religion and irreligion. Kṛṣṇa also says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati abhyutthānam adharmasya (BG 4.7). If we cannot keep on religious principles, then... We have to do something. Then we have to enhance our irreligious principle. So this family tradition, according to Vedic civilization, was very strictly observed so that the family may be kept in order in religious principles. Why? Now, because the human life is meant for reviving his eternal position, sanātana. This word is used here. Kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ. The real purpose of life, especially human life, is meant for reviving our sanātana-dharma, sanātana occupation, eternal occupation. By observing the rules and regulations of varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas..., that is called kula-dharma. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Each one of them must strictly observe the rules and regulations of that particular āśrama. Why it should be observed so strictly? Because by observing the regulative principle of each stages of life, one will be able to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

The people known as Hindus in the world, the Hindu is a term given by the Mohammedans, from "Indus." Indus River is there. Now it is in Pakistan. So people beyond the Indus River, the Mohammedans in Arabia and other countries, they pronounce "s" as "h". Instead of "Sindhu," they used to pronounce it as "Hindu." So people living, crossing the river Indus or Hindus, they were called "Hindus." Otherwise, this "Hindu" term is not seen in any Vedic literature.

The real meaning is the people who observe the varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas. Four varṇa means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And below the śūdras, they are called caṇḍālas, pañcama, fifth grade, less than the śūdras. That natural division is there everywhere.

Brāhmaṇa means the most intellectual, most intelligent person. Intelligent means one who knows, who has got sufficient knowledge. So brāhmaṇa means he has got sufficient knowledge even up to the understanding of the Absolute Truth. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. So that is first-class men, brāhmaṇa. So intellectuals or very intelligent class of men, these are everywhere, all over the world. You may call them brāhmaṇa or not, but a class of men, very intelligent, that is available in every part of the world. So brāhmaṇa means the intelligent class of men. And kṣatriya means they are less than the brāhmaṇas. And vaiśyas means less than the kṣatriyas. And śūdras less than all of them. It is a question of intelligence.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:

There are, but they should be systematically divided. Just like in any office there are departments. Without departmental work, nothing can be successful. Anywhere you go, either in the law court or in the office or anywhere, there must be departments. Similarly, the human society must be divided into four divisions. Not four division, eight divisions, varṇāśrama.

In the Vedic literature there is no such thing as Hindu dharma or Muslim dharma or Christian dharma or Buddha dharma. These are recent manufacture. Actually, Vedic instruction is to divide the whole human society into four varṇas and four āśramas. That is Vedic dharma, sanātana-dharma. It is called sanātana-dharma. A living entity has got the chance of getting this human... Labdhvā sudurlabhaṁ bahu-sambhavānte (SB 11.9.29). Bahu-sambhavānte means after many, many births. This present rascal civilization does not know that how with great difficulty we have come to this human form of life after so many evolutions.

The Darwin's theory of evolution, there is some idea, but it is not clear, not scientific. They are trying to prove that (it is) scientific. That is not scientific. But the evolution theory is there, 8,400,000 species of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, like that. Bhramadbhiḥ. We are rotating in this way.

So the human form of life must be systematized, not live like animals. So therefore if in the human society there is no this systematic division of persons...

Lecture on BG 4.16 -- Bombay, April 5, 1974:

So therefore there are 8,400,000 species of life, this mixture of qualities. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). We are infecting different types of qualities of material nature, and we are becoming fit for the next life.

But next life there is, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). People do not know it. Therefore we should be very careful to take instruction from Bhagavad-gītā, and make our life successful, following the rules and regulation as it is prescribed there. Otherwise we are animals.

The animals, they cannot follow any rules and regulation. Animal, you ask animal, dog, that "You become a brahmacārī." That is not possible. That is not possible (laughs). It is for human being. These āśramas, the four āśramas and four varṇas, they are all meant for human society, not that it is restricted in a certain area or certain country or certain community. No. It is meant for the whole human society. Bhagavad-gītā is meant for the whole human society. When Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), he never says that "It is meant for India." Where is that? Why they came that the cātur-varṇyam should be in India only? Kṛṣṇa never said that. Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ: "In every species of life, as many forms are there, all of them are My sons." Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Kṛṣṇa never says that "I am Indian" or "I am kṣatriya" or "I am brāhmaṇa." Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the father of everyone." Therefore this cātur-varṇya or this karma-kāṇḍa, everything is meant for the whole human society, if not for the animal society. Of course, animal society they cannot follow. That is their degraded position. Labdhvā su-durlabhaṁ bahu-sambhavānte. Therefore śāstra says that "This human form of life is gotten after many, many births," labdhvā su-durlabham. Su-durlabham. Durlabham means very rare to be obtained, and again addition, su, "very, very."

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:

They were accustomed from the childhood. But they have given up. Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānāṁ nivṛttis tu mahā-phalā. That is general tendency. The Vedic civilization tries to control.

You have got tendency for sex life—make it regulated by marriage ceremony. This is Vedic civilization, not that like cats and dogs you meet together and have sex life. No. That is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā. Dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmaḥ, which is not against religious principles, that kind of sex life, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am that sex life." So nothing is denied. Nothing is denied, but everything should be regulated. That is human form of life. And that regulative principle begins from the varṇāśrama-dharma, four kinds of varṇas and four kinds of āśramas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. These are varṇas. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). This is.... This program is chalked out by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You cannot neglect it. Then the karmas will topsy-turvy.

Therefore here it is said, karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyet. If we regulate this system—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—then although they are engaged as a śūdra or as a brāhmaṇa or as a kṣatriya or as a vaiśya, still, they are not becoming entangled in such karma. That is called akarmaṇi ca karma. Karmaṇi. Karmaṇi means there must be result, but you have to make it akarma, no result, no result. And that is bhakti-yoga. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā.

Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:

Because they are children, if they are trained these austerities, they become to practice. They call all woman, "Mother." "Mother, give me some alms." And they come back to guru's place. Everything belongs to guru. This brahmacārī life. This is tapasya. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). That is Vedic civilization, that children should be from the very beginning of life trained up in tapasya, brahmacarya. Celibacy. A brahmacārī cannot see any young woman. Even the guru's wife is young, he cannot go to the guru's wife. These are the restriction. Now where is that brahmacarya? No brahmacārī. This is Kali-yuga. No tapasya.

But according to Vedic civilization, varṇāśrama-dharma. Vedic civilization means four varṇas and four āśramas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. We have begin. We have began our lecture on the basis, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So this is civilization. Unless one comes to this standard of civilization, varṇāśrama-dharma, that is animal civilization. So we prefer animal civilization. Therefore we are living like animal also, fighting like cats and dogs and suffering like cats and dogs also. This is the position. Nirāśīr yata-cittātmā. Control. I shall accept as much as I require, not more than that, not less than that. Controlling the citta, intelligence, and ātmā, mind or self, self-control.

Lecture on BG 4.26 -- Bombay, April 15, 1974:

He is demanding. But if we do not do that, that means we are not willing to serve Kṛṣṇa. Then.... My position is serve, to serve. Then I have to serve in my designation. "I am the master of this family, I am the belong to this society, to this nation, to this, that." so many. Gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). Illusory master you have to serve, because you have to serve.

So these indriyas, unless they are purified by becoming without any designation... Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a sannyāsī, I am a kṣatriya, I am not a brahmacārī." Because these are designation. Varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas. Of course, now we do not know even this designation. We are simply animals at the present moment. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam. But human society means to divide the whole human society into these eight divisions, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha. Then it is systematic. But you have to go above that. That systematic division of the society is also sense gratification. That is not real life. That is also sense gratification. But it is systematized.

Just like I have several times said, the marriage is sense gratification, sex life. But somebody may say... They say that "Marriage is legalized prostitution." It may be, but still, there is some control. Although it is called "legalized prostitution," there is no difference between prostitution and married life, but there is some control. People become responsible. By responsible life, they can make advance. Irresponsible life will not help. Therefore loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantoḥ. So our tendency for sense gratification is controlled. Therefore it is called license. Gṛhastha life means a license for sense gratification. But we must know that sense gratification means material life. It may be systematic or not systematic. Sense gratifications means material life. But our aim is to transcend this material life and come to the spiritual life, platform of spiritual life. That is required. So there are so many processes.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

The real business is viṣṇur ārādhanam. Viṣṇu, the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is within the atom, who is within your heart, and who is also in His Goloka Vṛndāvana, that all-pervading... So varṇāśrama-dharma means how to realize that Supreme, all-pervading Godhead. That is varṇāśrama-dharma. Varṇa means four social divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and āśrama means four spiritual divisions: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha... So accepting these four spiritual and four material principles of life, that is humanity. One who is not within this category, varṇāśrama-dharma, he's not accepted as a human being or a civilized human being.

In the civilized nation, there is the four divisions of spiritual life and four divisions of... But they do not know it. But those who are followers of Vedic culture, they know how the divisions are to be made. Just like in your body, you have got four divisions: the head division, the arms division, the belly division, and the leg division. They're all required. It is not that simply you have got a nice brain like Professor Einstein; that will do. No. You must have hands also. You must have belly. You must have legs. Then it is complete. The head is most important part of the body—that is all right—but leg is also required. You cannot neglect leg. So similarly, this division is very scientific: intelligent class of men and martial class of men and productive class of men and laborer class of men. When we compare the laborer class of men with intellect, intellectual class of men, there is difference. But both of them are important factors to maintain this body. That is called varṇāśrama-dharma.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 23, 1976:

Now unless one is shot dead, he would not leave family life. (laughter) Even Mahatma Gandhi, he got independence and everything; still he would not leave. So he was shot dead. This is our position. All politicians, all big big men, they are not going to retire, stuck up. This is not civilization. When one is young, he can remain with family, wife, children, twenty-five to fifty years. That's all. No more. Give up. Then take vānaprastha. Train up yourself for becoming sannyāsī. Then take sannyāsa simply for understanding God. That is sannyāsa. You can take sannyāsa from the very beginning, but if it is not possible, at least at the fag end of your life everyone should take sannyāsa and completely devote in understanding the science of God. That is called sannyāsa.

This is Vedic system, varṇāśrama-dharma. Now it is foolishly going as Hindu dharma. What is the Hindu dharma? Hindu is not found even in the scriptures. This is a name given by the Mohammedans. Sindu. There is a river, Sindu. From Sindu it has come, "Hindu." Actually the Vedic culture is varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas. That is real Vedic culture, how to create brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa—eight. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma.

Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Montreal, October 25, 1968:

"Oh, there is a great man who knows everything about spirit and who is perfect." No. We should be very sincere to understand things as they are. We should not falsely claim which I am not.

The most, I mean to say, prideful claim is that "I am God." This is strictly forbidden by our sampradāya, that "Don't claim." Caitanya Mahāprabhu especially, when He was talking with one of His devotees, Rāmānanda Rāya... The subject matter was how to get perfection. Rāmānanda Rāya was suggesting... Of course, from Vedic literature, perfection, the path of perfection, is to follow the institution of four varṇas and four āśramas. That is a fact. Four varṇas and four āśramas. What are the four varṇas and four āśramas? There are four division of social life and four divisions of spiritual life. The four divisions of social life is the intelligent class of men, the martial class of men, and the mercantile class of men, and the laborer class of men. You can divide any social system in any country, in any place, there are these four classes of men. One class of men, they are very intelligent. They are scientists, they are philosophers, they are great writers, poets, thinkers. Naturally, by nature, they are inclined to these kinds of work. They are called intelligent class. Similarly, there is a class of men who are interested to take part in politics, in diplomacy, or to stand for election as president or as governor. In every country, in every place. They are called administrator class, or martial-spirited. They are prepared to fight also. So there is a class. And the third class is the mercantile class. They want to do some business, trade, industry, and make some profit. And the laborer class, they are neither intelligent, nor, I mean to say, they want to take part in politics, nor they are able to do independent business. Under the circumstances, they are to give their labor and work under somebody and get some remuneration. So these classes are in every country. You call it by different names. In India, of course, these classes are named as the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and the śūdras. But in many places I was asked that "Why in India there is caste system?" So this caste system is not only in India. In everywhere the caste system is there. And enviousness between one community to another, that is also existing everywhere. This is human nature.

Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:

Everyone has got particular type of occupational duty. That is called dharma. Dharma is not a faith. The particular duty... Just like you are a medical practitioner. So your dharma is to treat patients. That is your dharma. So everyone has got particular occupational duty. (break) Actually, what is going on as Hindu dharma... Actually, Hindu dharma this word is not there in the śāstras. In the śāstra it is called varṇāśrama-dharma. Four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. These are called varṇāśrama-dharma. So in every varṇa, brāhmaṇa, his qualification is described in the śāstra. Śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ kṣāntir jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Similarly, kṣatriya, vaiśya. So by discharging one's occupational duty according to varṇa and āśrama, if one does not understand Kṛṣṇa, the Bhāgavata says, śrama eva hi kevalam. Then he's simply spoiling his time and wasting his labor. That's all.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Bombay, October 25, 1973:

The varṇāśrama system, Vedic system, that is the beginning of human life. Those who are not in the jurisdiction of varṇa and āśrama—four varṇas, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vāna—one who does not follow these principles, they are not considered as human being. They are animals, go-kharaḥ. So real human life begins, accepting these principles of varṇa-āśrama. So Rāmānanda Rāya proposed that actual human life... Because human life is meant for realization of God. That is the only necessity, not to increase a type of civilization how instead of eating simple thing, how you can eat beef. That is not advancement of civilization. That is animalism. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśu... What is that advancement? A flesh is eaten by tigers, dogs. So if you have learned how to eat flesh, does it mean that you advance in civilization? It is the business of tigers and dogs. The dog civilization.

Lecture on BG 16.10 -- Hawaii, February 6, 1975:

Just like lusty desires, generally it is with reference to sex life. So sex life is required for the physiological condition of the body. That is nature's way. Or by giving birth to some nice children, that sex life is required. Otherwise why God has made the arrangement of sex? There is need, but not duṣpūram. Kāmasya na indriya-prītiḥ: "Don't use it for sense gratification." You use it to fulfill the real purpose. So these lusty desires, unless you live a very regulated life, then it will be duṣpūram, it will be never be fulfilled—always desire, always desire, always desire.

So these demons, they accept the shelter of lusty desire which will never be fulfilled, will never be satiated. But those who are devas, godly, their lusty desire is controlled, restricted. Therefore this varṇāśrama, four varṇas, and four āśramas, this is education how to control this lusty desire. That is required. In the beginning of life, the children, beginning from five years old up to twenty-five years, they are trained up as brahmacārī. Why? Just to control the kāmaṁ duṣpūram. Kāmaṁ duṣpūram. Those who are not in bad association from childhood, if they practice celibacy, they are not disturbed. They are not disturbed. That is called brahmacārī life. Why? To train the child of a human being. Because this human life is meant for stopping the cycle of birth and death. That is the mission.

Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:

Of course, now we are engaged in so many different types of duties, but the Vedic civilization, there are four divisions of society and four division of spiritual enlightenment. It is called varṇa and āśrama. Four varṇas means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is social arrangement. And spiritual arrangement-brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So we are known, advertised, as Hindu. Actually there is no such word in the whole Vedic literature, Hindu. It is a name given by the Mohammedans on account of the river Sindu. They pronounced sa as ha. So the Sindu was mispronounced as Hindu and the side, or this side of Indus River, who resided, they are called by the Mohammedans as Hindus. The Hindu name is given by the Mohammedans. Actually, our dharma is varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas. That is the real name, varṇāśrama-dharma. The whole Vedic culture is dependent on varṇāśrama. It is meant for everyone, not that it is meant for Indians only, no. Four varṇas and four āśramas.

Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa certifies about this world as duḥkhālayam, "the place of miseries," and we are trying to be happy. This is our illusion. You cannot be happy in this material world. Tell me if anyone is happy. Nobody is happy. The problem, only problem, beginning from the womb of mother up to the again, next death, simply problems—this is material life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mām upetya tu kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), nāpnuvanti: "He does not come again." That is the solution. That is saṁsiddhiṁ labhate parām.

So the society must be divided as suggested in Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature, that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). There must be four varṇas and four āśramas, ideal. Then you may be a śūdra, you may be a gṛhastha, or you may be a brāhmaṇa. Everyone will get salvation, everyone attain the perfection, if we adopt this process. So there must be one class of men, first-class men, ideal, that people will learn that "Here is an ideal class of men. Let me try to imitate or follow them." But there is no ideal men now, at the present moment. Everyone is śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Then how the society will be happy? It is not possible because there is no ideal men. So here Kṛṣṇa says that we should create, we should educate a section of men who are by brāhmaṇa, by guṇa, and karma, not by birth. Then society will be happy. Śamo damas...

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

This body, gross body and the subtle body, they are made of the external energy. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4).

So people, having no information of the spirit soul, they are interested in body and mind, and they have created some concocted religious system for benefit of the body and mind. So the varṇāśrama-dharma, beginning... Dharma begins from the varṇāśrama-dharma, which is now going on in the name of Hindu religion. Actually there is no such word "Hindu" in the Vedic literature. It is a concocted word given by the Muhammadans. Real Vedic system of religion is varṇa and āśrama. Four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So one has to execute... The brāhmaṇa must execute his system of life, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjava, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). A brāhmaṇa must execute all these principles of life. Similarly, kṣatriya, he should be very brave, not to go away from fighting. He must have a ruling capacity. He must be charitable. In this way, kṣatriya must execute his system of life. Similarly vaiśya, he must also execute his system of life: kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (Bg 18.44). Agriculture, cow protection. Nowadays, either brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya, practically everything is lost. Nobody is executing his occupational duties. Simply śūdra, without any knowledge, without any enlightenment. Try to get some money and fill up your belly and go on sleeping, that's all. This is śūdra-karma-svabhāva-jam. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma. Therefore śāstra says kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In this age practically 99.9% population are śūdras, because they have given up, they have forgotten everything, what is the duty of brāhmaṇa, what is the duty of a kṣatriya, what is the duty of a vaiśya. Maybe some vaiśyas are there and śūdras are there.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

So one has to become free from the designation. That is jñāna. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Upādhi. This upādhi. The bodily conception of life is called upādhi.

So sarva upādhi, when you become completely freed, no more thinking like American, Indian, brāhmaṇa, śūdra, no... "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave His identification in this way: "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a śūdra, neither I am a king, neither I am a vaiśya, neither I am a sannyāsī. I am nothing of this." Because this material designation, varṇa-āśrama. Four varṇas, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So anybody must be within these eight categories. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "I don't belong to any of these categories." Nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir na ca yatir vā. Then what you are? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). "Gopī-bhartuḥ, the maintainer of the gopīs, gopī-bhartuḥ, and the master of the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa, pada-kamalayoḥ, lotus feet—I am His servant, dāsa, and his servant, his servant, his servant, his servant, his servant, his servant, in this way servants' servant." The more you become servants of servant, then you are liberated. Here this material world they want master. He is master: "I am his master, I am his master, I am his master." They are trying to become master. It is just the opposite—to become servant. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy, how to become the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant, oh, hundred times servant (CC Madhya 13.80). Because this philosophy is understood by becoming a servant, not by becoming a master. That you will not. That is called jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā (SB 1.2.12). Because so long wants to become a master, he is still in ajñāna because he cannot be master. How he can be master? Real master is Kṛṣṇa. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). How you can be master? Can you become more than Kṛṣṇa? He is sarva-loka-maheśvaram.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:

So there must be first class, second class, third class, fourth class, because this material world is conducted under the influence of three qualities—goodness, passion and ignorance. How you can avoid it? So those who are on the platform of goodness, they are first-class men. Those who are on the platform of passion, they are second-class men. Those who are mixed up, they are third-class men, and those who are in ignorance, they are fourth-class men, and less than that, they are animals. They may have two hands, two legs, but they are simply animals, that's all, no better than animals.

So actually human civilization begins when there is varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, four varṇas and four āśramas. Here is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Unless human society is scientifically divided in this varṇāśrama system, it is animal society. It is not man's society. Therefore he is stressing varṇāśrama. Not others who are not within the category of varṇāśrama, they are animals. So when the human society comes to the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, then they can think about God. Otherwise it is not possible. Animal, how they can think about God? Because you are all first-class boys and girls, therefore you have come to hear about God. Now if you call first-class dogs, they will not come, that is not possible. So unless the human society is organized in the varṇāśrama-dharma, it remains animal society. And in animal society you cannot expect any intelligence or any sense of goodness or any idea of God. This is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

They have no ceremony for twice-born. Or one who is not twice-born, he's a śūdra. If the twice-born ceremony is not observed, is not observed, then it is śūdra. Or act..., practically at the present moment, even in India, these ceremonies are not accepted or they do not care for it. And what to speak of other countries. Therefore the conclusion of the śāstra is kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In this age of Kali, there are only śūdras. Practically there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśyas. Maybe some vaiśyas. But this is the position.

But here it is said, varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Unless one, unless the society comes to the institution for accepting these four varṇas and āśrama, it is not human society. And in the human society there is understanding of God, not in the animal society. Therefore as the institution of varṇāśrama is now abolished, people are becoming godless. Because varṇāśrama means the institution or a set-up of society where gradually one can understand Viṣṇu and worship Viṣṇu. Viṣṇur ārādhyate. That is the system. Not that so-called brāhmaṇa and so-called kṣatriya, they have no information of Viṣṇu, and they are declaring, "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya." They are called, according to śāstra, brahma-bandhu, dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu. One who is born of a brāhmaṇa family or a kṣatriya family or vaiśya family, but do not act as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśyas, they are called dvija-bandhu. They are not accepted as dvija. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25).

This Mahābhārata was compiled by Vyāsadeva for this purpose because strī, women; śūdra, the fourth class of the society, laborer class, worker class; strī, śūdra; and dvija-bandhu, and persons who are born in the families of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, but they do not act, they are called dvija-bandhu. For them, this Mahābhārata was compiled. It is called "Fifth Vedas." Four Vedas: Sāma, Yajur, Atharva..., Sāma, Yajur, Ṛk, Atharva. So this Vedic language cannot be understood by the less intelligent class of men who are known as woman, śūdra, and dvija-bandhu, strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnām (SB 1.4.25).

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

"What is the aim of human life and what is the process of executing that will?" So immediately Rāmānanda Rāya said that varṇāśramācāravatā. The beginning of human life is to execute the varṇāśrama-dharma. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). Why varṇāśrama? Now viṣṇur ārādhyate. If you properly execute your varṇāśrama-dharma... Actually, it is now pervertedly spoken as Hindu dharma. Hindu dharma is a vague term. Real dharma is varṇāśrama-dharma. Hindu dharma we don't find, any Vedic literature. Neither in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is a, a nomenclature given by the Muhammadans—"Hindus." From Sindhu, "Hindu." Anyway, now we are known as Hindus. The "Hindu" is a vague term. Real term is varṇāśrama, varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. This is dharma and this is given by God Himself. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). It is given by God. You cannot manufacture dharma, religion. No. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Dharma means the codes, the regulations given by God." That is dharma. That is dharma. Otherwise, it is not dharma.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is dharma, obedience to God. Religion means obedience to God. Nowadays it has become a fashion to drive away God and make a so-called show of religion. Drive away: "No God." Just like our secular state. "Don't think of God. This is botheration. Kill God." Kaṁsa. Kaṁsa secular state. "Don't talk of God." Rāvaṇa's secular state. Without God, what is life? Without... If you do not follow the codes or the rules or the laws given by God, then what is your religion? That is not religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like the state can give you laws. There is legislative assembly of the state. They can enact laws. You cannot do at home. You cannot do. That will not be accepted as law. Similarly, our Vedic principle is: "Religion means the codes and the rules and regulations given by God." That is religion. Kṛṣṇa says, God says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is religion. Vāsudeva-paro dharmaḥ. Vāsudeva-paro dharmaḥ. Dharma, here it is said that it should be given by Vāsudeva, or it must be approved by Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeva means son of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. So oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Lecture on SB 1.3.13 -- Los Angeles, September 18, 1972:

He was king, emperor of the world. So His instruction are there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. (tapping sound) He instructed... (aside:) What is this sound? He instructed His sons, "My dear boys, this human form of life is not meant for sense enjoyment, which is available in the life of dogs and hogs." It was His instruction. He instructed that human society should be dhīra, self-controlled. That is ideal human society. That is Vedic civilization.

Here it is also stated, sarvāśrama-namaskṛtam. Āśrama. Sarva-āśrama. Āśrama. I have several times described that the brahmacārī-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama, vānaprastha-āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama. Sarvāśrama, all orders of life. Varṇāśrama. The Vedic civilization is based on four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So Lord Ṛṣabhadeva planned in such a way to teach His sons—He had one hundred sons—that it will be honored by all the āśramas. Out of His one hundred sons, nine became sannyāsī. Nava Yogendra, very highly elevated spiritually, nine sons. And eighty-one sons... Out of hundred, nine gone, ninety-one sons? So out of them, eleven became kṣatriyas, and others became brāhmaṇas, like that. So this proves that not that by birth one becomes brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra, but it is by different qualification. Otherwise how Ṛṣabhadeva's son... He was kṣatriya, supposed to be kṣatriya. So His sons are also kṣatriya. How they became brāhmaṇa? No. That was the Vedic culture. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. As soon as one is born, he is accepted as śūdra. Neither brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor... Raw. By training, either he becomes a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya.

Lecture on SB 1.5.1-8 -- New Vrindaban, May 23, 1969:

There is no question of demand. So that stage is perfect. So, (reads commentary) Anudita-prāyam anukta-prāyaṁ vimalaṁ bhagavad-yaśo vinā yenaiva dharmādi jñānenāsau bhagavān na tuṣyati(?) Śrīdhara Svāmī gives note that if you become a rigid religious person, that does not mean (chuckling) God will be satisfied with you. That is preliminary stage. Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41). If one religious man... But that is not the qualification. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya, He, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, inquired what is the aim of life and what is the procedure of achieving that aim. He prescribed this varṇāśrama-dharma. Because that is the beginning of actual human life, accepting four varṇas and four āśramas. Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately rejected, eho bāhya āge kaha āra. These are not very important things. Just see. The whole Vedic civilization is resting on the varṇāśrama-dharma.

varṇāśramācāravatā
puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā
nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam
(CC Madhya 8.58)

That is the statement, that one who is rigidly performing the rules and regulation of these four varṇas and āśramas... Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate. Simply by following the rules and regulation, varṇāśrama system, one can worship Viṣṇu. Viṣṇur ārādhya... Nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam. There is no alternative to satisfy Him. That... This is an authorized statement. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya āge kaha āra, "This is external. This is not very important thing. If you know something more, that you can say." Eho bāhya āge kaha āra. Āge kaha āra.

Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

Kṣatriyas are not so much interested, neither the vaiśyas, and what to speak of the śūdras. And in the Kali-yuga almost everyone is a śūdra. It is very difficult to find... So how they can be interested? Therefore training should be given how to become brāhmaṇa. Then he'll be interested. Otherwise, nobody is interested.

Therefore it is addressed, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ, "O the best of the dvijas, twice-born." Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. There is division, varṇāśrama. Varṇa and āśrama. Varṇa means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So for the brāhmaṇa, one who is brāhmaṇa, for him, the four āśramas are recommended. One... First of all he must become brahmacārī, a brāhmaṇa, son of a brāhmaṇa. Then, when he's fully trained up, he should become a gṛhastha. Not should, but if he likes. Then... Otherwise, sometimes you will find naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. Never... Just like my Guru Mahārāja was. He never married. Naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. So brahmacārī, gṛhastha, then not to stuck up with the family affairs up to the end of death. No. At a certain stage, after fifty years, he must give up. That is called vānaprastha. And then, after being trained up in vānaprastha very nicely, he takes sannyāsa. This is brāhmaṇa's..., four āśrama. And for the kṣatriya, up to vānaprastha. Up to vānaprastha. Just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and all the brothers, they left home, but the wife was there. That is called vānaprastha. They did not take sannyāsa. Kṣatriya. Up to vānaprastha. Vaiśyas. No vānaprastha, no sannyāsa. Up to gṛhastha. Brahmacārī... Brahmacārī is compulsory for the dvija. Because there is the training. And for the śūdra there is no brahmacārī. Only gṛhastha, married. Otherwise, life will be very irregular. So in this way varṇāśrama. So there are duties.

Lecture on SB 1.5.35 -- Vrndavana, August 16, 1974:

There must be others. Kṣatriyas means the statesman, protector, politician, diplomat, kṣatriyas. And there must be vaiśyas also, productive class of men. They must produce. Economic development, that is also required. Otherwise, how human society will go on? Not only intelligent class of men—the protector class of men, the productive class of men, and the worker class of men. Suppose you are constructing this temple. If we devotees remain Hare Kṛṣṇa, then who will construct this temple? Everything is required. We do not say that "Stop this" or "Stop that." No.

So that division, different division, is scientifically made in the Vedic conception of life, varṇāśrama. Four varṇas and four āśramas. Āśrama for spiritual advancement and varṇas for material advancement. So we want both of them because our life is combination of spirit and matter. So it is not that... To make the best use of a bad bargain. Suppose you have got a car. It is not very good car. It's not American car, but Ambassador. (laughter) Thrice breaks. But you have to utilize it. Bad bargain. Similarly, some way or other, we have got this material body, we cannot neglect it. We don't say that "Neglect it. Don't care for the body." No. Why?

Lecture on SB 1.7.41-42 -- Vrndavana, October 2, 1976:

So what is that false ahaṅkāra? The false ahaṅkāra is that "I am this body." This is false ahaṅkāra. "I am this body." "I am Indian." "I am American." "I am brāhmaṇa." "I am kṣatriya." "I am sannyāsī." "I am brahmacārī." And so on, so on, so on, so on. All designation of this body. This is false ahaṅkāra. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us how to become free from the false ahaṅkāra. He said that nāhaṁ vipro na yatir vā: "I am not a brāhmaṇa. I am not a sannyāsī. I am not a gṛhastha. I am not a vānaprastha. I am not this. I am not that." All material designations He refused, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. "I am not this, I am not this, I am not this." Even if I am very much proud of becoming a brāhmaṇa or I become very much proud of becoming a sannyāsī... That is the highest stage of human status, to become a brāhmaṇa or sannyāsī. Sannyāsī is supposed to be the guru of everyone. There are four varṇas and four āśramas. Brāh... (break) ...and kṣatriya. And in the spiritual order, the sannyāsī is guru of all, even of the brāhmaṇa. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "I am neither brāhmaṇa nor sannyāsī." He refused. Nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir na yatir vā. Yati means sannyāsī. So He refused.

So this is false. Even if you become very much proud that you are a very learned brāhmaṇa or very advanced sannyāsī, that is not your freedom. You are not yet liberated. You are still in conditional life. Then? When you become liberated? That is stated by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). This is liberation. Gopī-bhartuḥ, the maintainer of the gopīs, Gopījana-vallabha. Kṛṣṇa's business is how to please the gopīs, the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. Yaśodā-nandana vraja-jana-rañjana. As the vṛndāvana-vāsīs, they have no other business than to love Kṛṣṇa, similarly, Kṛṣṇa has no other business than to please the gopīs and the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:

It is will rot? It will fall down on the ground, and it will rot?" No. The idea is "You don't take, but you give it to Me." This is karma-yoga. It is not that it should be wasted. So that is karma-yoga. So those who are karmīs, very much attached to material activities, for them, this karma-yoga is recommended. Some way or other, be connected with Kṛṣṇa. It is not so meant... It is very great achievement that you work hard earn money and give it to Kṛṣṇa. That is a great sacrifice. So by karma-yoga, also, you can satisfy...

Because the main business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Varṇāśrama. There are four varṇas and four āśramas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsī. So these are the scientific divisions of civilized society. Unless there are these divisions, it is a chaotic condition; it is not very satisfactory. That is happening. Nowadays, there is no scientific division of the human society. Therefore there are so many chaotic conditions. So actual human civilization begins when we accept these eight departmental management of the society. That is human society. Otherwise it is animal society. So... So according to Vedic civilization, every department, division, has got a particular duty.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

Varṇāśrama is planned for material life in a systematic way so that, in due course of time, one may give up the family relationship and take sannyāsa and completely devote for Kṛṣṇa's service. This is the plan of varṇāśrama-dharma. Varṇāśrama-dharma is not meant for planning something, and you remain in the family. No. The Varṇāśrama... Varṇa means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Guṇa, not everyone is qualified in the same way. Therefore you... The ācārya will pick up that "They are meant for becoming brāhmaṇas. They are meant for kṣatriyas." Or for coming from kṣatriya family, or the brāhmaṇa family... So first of all, these varṇas, then āśrama. The brāhmaṇa, one who is qualified as a brāhmaṇa, he has to observe the four āśramas, a brāhmaṇa: the brahmacārī-āśrama, the gṛhastha-āśrama, the vānaprastha-āśrama and sannyāsa-āśrama. The kṣatriya, they'll have to observe three āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha and vānaprastha. And the vaiśyas, two āśramas: brahmacārī and gṛhastha. And śūdra, only one āśrama, only gṛhastha. A śūdra is never offered sannyāsa. A... Only the brāhmaṇa is offered.

So in Śaṅkara-sampradāya, strictly, unless one is born in brāhmaṇa family, he's not offered sannyāsa. He's not given sannyāsa. So far we are concerned, we also offer sannyāsa to the brāhmaṇa, not to the śūdras. But according to quality we create brāhmaṇa, not that we are offering sannyāsa to the śūdras, No. The principle is: sannyāsa can be offered only to the brāhmaṇas. So one may not mistake that we are offering to the..., offering sannyāsa to the mlecchas, yavanas, as they complain. Some of my Godbrothers, they criticize like that, that I am offering sannyāsa to the mlecchas, yavanas. This is wrong idea. This is nārakī-buddhi. Actually, a Vaiṣṇava is above this varṇāśrama-dharma. But we don't claim that we have become perfect Vaiṣṇava. We are not so impudent.

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Mayapura, October 24, 1974:

There was discussion between Rāmānanda Rāya and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So Rāmānanda Rāya began from varṇāśrama-dharma. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu rejected-rejected not wholly. Eho bāhya āge kaha āra: "Yes, this is not bad, but it is not so important." Eho bāhya āge kaha āra: "If you know something more..." In this way, gradually, step by step, Rāmānanda Rāya said, "The ultimate goal of life is this," "is that," "is that." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said all of them as external, at least in this age. It is very difficult. Just like in the beginning Rāmānanda Rāya said that varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). He gave stress on the institution of varṇa and āśrama, to observe the rules and regulation of varṇas, four varṇas—to become brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha... But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya, bāhya: "Yes, it is good, but it is not so, mean, important, not so important."

Because He knew, in this age, Kali Yuga, who is going to observe this varṇāśrama-dharma? Everyone is śūdra. A śūdra cannot understand this, neither it is possible to bring them back again. Although we are trying, but it is very difficult. Once one has become debauch, to reform him is very difficult. But still there is way. And that way is suggested when... Rāmānanda Rāya suggested that... It is the words of Lord Brahmā that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya: "One should not very much endeavor to speculate, speculating process." Just like these theosophists, the philosophers, the scientists. They, instead of having direct knowledge from the superior, they, more or less, speculate. So one has to give up this speculating habit. If one thinks that "I know. I am very educated. I am very advanced. I can discover what is God," that is not possible. That is not possible. Athāpi te deva-padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi jānāti tattvam (SB 10.14.29). You cannot understand God by your speculative method. Big, big scholars, they have speculated about Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā. Misled, they could not understand.

Lecture on SB 1.15.39 -- Los Angeles, December 17, 1973:

Similarly, I have seen other politicians also, Jawaharlal Nehru, Panth,(?) they would not give up. Panth(?) was so weak, I have seen. He could not stand even. He was doing like this, always. Still he would not give up. Similarly, Jawaharlal Nehru, he was paralyzed. Unless he was dead, he could not give up.

So this is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization is that at a certain age, you must retire. Never mind. The age is divided into four parts: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So Vedic civilization means varṇāśrama-dharma, accepting the institution of four varṇas and four āśramas. Social and spiritual order. For social order there must be brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and for spiritual order, there must be brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. This is the system. So unless you accept this institution of varṇāśrama-dharma, you are not considered as civilized man, Ārya, Āryan.

Āryan means who are making progress under the institution of varṇāśrama-dharma. That progress means to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the goal. But people do not know that. Not only now; formerly also. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know what is their ultimate goal of self-interest. Why Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is taking, retiring, from the...? That is not... To become king is not the ultimate goal of life. No. He has got another ultimate goal of life. He remained as a king as a matter of duty. Just like you work in some office or as a professional man. You work as a lawyer. You work as an engineer. You work as a medical man. That you can do, because you have to do something to live, livelihood. It doesn't matter. But to become an engineer or to become a scientist or become a medical man or a lawyer, that is not my ultimate goal of life. That is needed to maintain the body and soul together, but that is not ultimate goal of life. For that purpose, you may be what you are, but you must retire.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

Actually, there is a big temple of Amba in Bombay. From that name, instead of Amba, they have become Bamba. Just like from Sindhu, they have called, they have designated the inhabitants of Sindhu-deśa as "Hindu." The Muhammadans, they pronounce s as h. So from "Sindhu," it has come to "Hindu." Otherwise, this "Hindu" name is not mentioned in any Vedic literature. It is given by the... This name is given by the other foreigners. Especially the Arabian countries, they used to call this nation, Bhārata-varṣa...

Actually, Hindu is not a religion. Hindu is a name given by the foreigners. The religion is, of India, varṇāśrama-dharma, following the institution of four varṇas and four āśramas. That is varṇ... Or sanātana-dharma. Sanātana-dharma means eternal, eternal religion. Religion of human being is one. That is called sanātana. A living entity is described as sanātana. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūto jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find sanātanaḥ, and Kṛṣṇa is also addressed in the Eleventh Chapter as sanātanas tvam. And there is another place, or spiritual world, which is also called sanātana. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). So this sanātana term is very important. The living entity is sanātana and God is sanātana and the spiritual world is sanātana, and the process by which your lost relationship with God established and you go back to home back to Godhead, that is called sanātana-dharma. Sanātana-dharma. That is our eternal relationship with God. And there is a place. So the system which makes these two sanātana, God and the living entity, meet again and they go back to enjoy life in the spiritual world, that system is called sanātana-dharma. Therefore sanātana-dharma is not meant for any particular class or particular country or particular nation or community. No. It is meant for the whole human being, especially human being; otherwise, all living entities.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975:

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī was in renounced order of life from the very beginning of his life. As soon as he came out of the womb of his mother he immediately left home. He was within the womb of his mother for sixteen years. So he was in favor of renounced order of life, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. There was no question of him following the other āśramas. Generally, for ordinary man, there are four āśramas..., eight āśramas. For social upkeep there are four āśramas, namely brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is for spiritual. And called social, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is social division. And there is spiritual division also, because we are combination of matter and spirit. I am the soul. I am living within this material body. This is actual position. I am not this body. This is the beginning of spiritual education, that "I am not this body." One who understands fully well that he's not this body, then the spiritual education begins. And so long we are in the bodily concept of life, there's no question of spirituality. Spiritual education for whom? For the human being. Also very advanced human being, not ordinary human being. At least the civilized human being.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975:

You won't find in the Bhagavad-gītā or Bhāgavata as Hindu dharma. There is one word as bhāgavata-dharma, but there is no such word as Hindu dharma. This Hindu dharma or Hindu... This is creation by our neighbor, Indian neighbor, the Middle-east Muhammadans. They gave the name, Indian people, as "Hindu." "Hindu" means... There is one river, Sindhu. The Muhammadans, they pronounce sa as ha. So those who were on the other side of the Sindhu River, Hindu River, they were called Hindus. But actually Vedic religion is neither for Hindus nor for Christian nor for... It is meant for the human being. Vedic literature. So in the Vedic literature... This Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they are Vedic literature. So there is injunction for observing the rules and regulations of varṇa and āśrama, four classes and four āśrama. Āśrama means where spiritual cultivation is practiced. That is called āśrama. So brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Cātur-varṇa and cātur-āśrama, material and spiritual. So sannyāsī is supposed to be on the topmost of the human society. Cātur-varṇa, four classes then, among the varṇas, there are four classes: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Sannyāsa is the topmost order of human society.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975:

So here Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he's a sannyāsī. He's renounced order from the very beginning of his life. He never entered into any āśrama or varṇa. He's paramahaṁsa. Paramahaṁsa means the topmost amongst the sannyāsīs. Sannyāsī's the topmost. Above... Within the sannyāsī the paramahaṁsa is the topmost. Sannyāsīs are also, they are called kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya, and paramahaṁsa. Kuṭīcaka means after accepting sannyāsa order... One has to accept the sannyāsa order. After gṛhastha there is vānaprastha and then sannyāsa; brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. In the beginning we, especially the brāhmaṇas and the kṣatriyas, two classes, higher classes, they have to take sannyāsa. If not, at least the brāhmaṇas must take sannyāsa. The brāhmaṇas have got four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. The kṣatriya have got three āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, no sannyāsa. And the vaiśya two āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha. Neither vānaprastha or sannyāsa. And the śūdras, they are simply one, gṛhastha, that's all. This is the Vedic order.

So because it is very difficult to maintain sannyāsa in this age, therefore the sannyāsa order is completely prohibited. Real sannyāsī means... Here is the description of life. What is that? Cīrāṇi kiṁ na pathi santi. They have to pick up some torn cloth lying on the street and cover it. That's all. Then this diśanti bhikṣāṁ naivāṅghripāḥ, aṅghripāḥ, aṅghri means legs, and pa means drinking. The trees drink water through the root. That is their leg. Therefore they're..., another name is aṅghripa. And aṅghri means leg. So different species of life there is different process of eating. We are eating through mouth; the trees are eating through the legs. This is God's creation. Not that the mouth is only eating. No. There are other senses, active senses, hands and legs, tongue. These are active senses. Genital, rectum, these are active senses. So aṅghripa means tree. The sannyāsī should depend completely on God.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

So anyway, this human life is not meant for imitating the hog's life. Human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). This is Vedic civilization, tapasya, the state, different grades of tapasya—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—give them chance—gṛhastha, vānaprastha, brahmacārī. They are all meant for inducing people to come to this perfectional stage of understanding God. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma. Real purpose of this is varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. Why? Now,

varṇāśramācāravatā
puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā
nānyat tat toṣa-kāraṇam
(CC Madhya 8.58)

The whole aim is how to worship the Supreme Lord. That is human life. So if we make these divisions, so any class of men, if he comes to this social system of varṇāśrama-dharma, then automatically... Just like if you admit your son in a school, there is first class, second class, third class or eighth class. In this way he makes progress. One day that son comes out as a graduate. So the human society must accept. This is school of varṇāśrama-dharma. Then gradually he will be educated and he will come to the understanding. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. One day he will understand what is Brahman, and that is brāhmaṇa. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipro brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth everyone is a śūdra. He has to be educated. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Dvija means twice-born. One birth is by the father and mother, and the next birth is by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. So Vedic knowledge is the mother, and spiritual master is the father. Then one becomes dvija. Therefore the sacred thread is offered, that "He is now divja. He has accepted the spiritual master to learn what is spiritual life." That is the significance. Then he is allowed to read this Vedic literature, the essence of Vedic literature. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam (SB 1.1.3), this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This is the essence. Nigama means Vedic. Nigama-kalpa-taru. Kalpa-taru means desire tree.

Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:

Material energy, just like we see, there is cloud, there is thundering sound, there is rain. And from the rain, there is crops, there is food grain. Then we eat those food grains. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Then, yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ (BG 3.14). These things are already stated. Everything, the origin is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yajña. Yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ. Yajña means we have to satisfy the Supreme Person. That is called yajña. And this process can be executed when the human society is very regulated. Regulated means there must be division of these varṇas and āśramas. Varṇa means four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. They have got their respective duties. So unless the human society is divided into these eight scientific divisions and everyone acts according to his position, there cannot be any peace in the world. That is called varṇāśrama.

Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān, viṣṇur ārādhyate... (CC Madhya 8.58). The ultimate goal is to satisfy the Lord, Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). But the foolish people, they do not know. Their ultimate interest is how to satisfy Viṣṇu. Viṣṇur ārādhyate. So when there is dharmasya glāniḥ, then Lord Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, by His incarnation or personally, He comes. Therefore it is said, yad yad vidhatte bhagavān. But because He comes to paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8), He has no anxiety. Svacchandātmā. And He does by His own internal potency. He does not take anyone's help. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is Bhagavān. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. He has got so varieties of energies that everything is done very correctly and perfectly.

Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:

He has no other business. This is two qualifications. He must have heard the Vedic knowledge through the disciplic succession. It does not require that he is very learned scholar. No. Simply he must hear from the authority. Śrotriyam. You have... Kṛṣṇa has given you, God has given you the ear. This is our system. Simply they hear and they become big, big preacher. It doesn't require that he has to pass M.A., C.B.A.C., or Ph.D. examinations. Hearing is sufficient. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. You remain in your position, in your place. You do not require to change it. Sthāne sthitāḥ.

Sthāne sthitāḥ means the varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. So this is civilization. Unless the society is divided into these eight divisions, that is animal civilization. That is not human civilization. You must be systematized, regulated system. Just like in this body there are different divisions: the head division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division. Similarly, without these four divisions, no society can be conducted very nicely. Then it will be chaos. So sthāne sthitāḥ means to remain in these regulative principles of varṇāśrama. That is called sthāne sthitāḥ. You remain in your position. It doesn't require you have to change. It is not that a śūdra, without becoming a brāhmaṇa... Of course, śūdra will become brāhmaṇa—by hearing. Brāhmaṇa means brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. If he hears, even a śūdra, he can understand what is Brahman. Then he becomes brāhmaṇa. So this is required. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. With great attention, body, mind and words, intelligence—with everything, one must hear.

Lecture on SB 3.25.5-6 -- Bombay, November 5, 1974:

Here another feature is that pitari prasthite araṇyam. So it is the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. One who has passed over fifty years of age, he must give, leave home, and go to the forest, and completely devote his life for spiritual realization. That is the system, varṇāśrama-dharma. The name "Hindu" is a foreign name, given by the Muslims on the other side of the ocean. They used to say the inhabitants of this part of the world as "Hindu." Actually, you won't find this word Hindu in any Vedic literature. The Vedic literature you'll find: varṇāśrama-dharma. Civilized human being means who are following strictly the varṇāśrama institution, four varṇas and four āśramas. So four varṇas means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So for brāhmaṇas, the four āśramas should be followed. Brāhmaṇa should become a child born in brāhmaṇa family and trained up nicely as brahmacārī. Then he becomes a gṛhastha. Then he gives up the home. That is called vānaprastha. And after that he takes sannyāsa.

So this Kardama Muni did it. Because he was a yogi, he strictly followed the principle. So as soon as Kapiladeva was grown up, the mother, Devahūti, was given in His charge and Kardama Muni left home. Therefore it is said that pitari prasthite araṇyaṁ mātuḥ priya-cikīrṣayā. Now it is the duty of the son. Women should be under the protection. In the Manu-saṁhitā it is said that woman should not be given freedom. Na strī svātantryam arhati. They cannot properly utilize freedom. It is better to remain dependent. That is very good. Independent woman cannot be happy. That's a fact. We have seen in the Western countries, on, in the name of independence, so many women are unhappy. So that is not recommended in the Vedic civilization and on the varṇāśrama-dharma.

Lecture on SB 3.25.8 -- Bombay, November 8, 1974:

Then adhidaivika. If there is no rain, there will be no food production, and the rice will go eight rupees per kilo. And you have to suffer. Durbhikṣa. Even people are not willing to give you bhikṣā. "Because the rice is so costly, how can I give?" That is called durbhikṣa. Durbhikṣa means when you do not get even bhikṣā. This is the most lowest profession. It is highest also. The sannyāsīs, they go door to door, bhikṣā. Brahmacārī go to door to door. Our Vedic civilization is that in the society there are four divisions: the brahmacārī, the gṛhastha, the vānaprastha, and the sannyāsī. Suppose there are hundred men in a village or in a place. The society is divided into four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha... So... This is material calculation. Suppose if there are hundred men, seventy-five men are to be considered brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsī. So these seventy-five men will live at the cost of the twenty-five men, gṛhastha. Gṛhastha has to give alms to the brahmacārī, to the vānaprastha, and to the sannyāsa. Just see how nice communism. The one twenty-five-percent group, they are earning, and they are maintaining seventy-five men. So they are living by bhikṣā. Brahmacārī will go door to door, "Mother, give me alms," and they'll give. The sannyāsī will go. So when this bhikṣā will not be available, that is called durbhikṣa, famine. This is adhibhautika. Adhibhautika, er adhidaivika. You have no control.

Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:

Very nice family, brāhmaṇa family. Brāhmaṇa family means Vaiṣṇava family. Brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita. Brāhmaṇa means he must be learned and he must be a Vaiṣṇava. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Viṣṇu. Therefore in every brāhmaṇa house there is viṣṇu-pūjā, Viṣṇu-śālagrāma. Still. From descent, I mean to say, generation, it is coming down. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they are supposed to worship Lord Viṣṇu. Not only brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... Śūdra also. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). This is statement of Viṣṇu Purāṇa. Varṇāśrama, the execution of duty in the institution of varṇa and āśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas, what is the meaning? The meaning is viṣṇur ārādhyate, Viṣṇu becomes very pleased. That is varṇāśrama-dharma. If you execute as a pakka brāhmaṇa, that means Viṣṇu will be pleased. If you execute your duties as a perfect kṣatriya, then Viṣṇu will be pleased. If you execute your duty as a perfect vaiśya, then Viṣṇu will be pleased. And if you execute your duties as a perfect śūdra, Viṣṇu will be pleased. The purpose is to please Viṣṇu. Therefore na te viduḥ... The purpose they do not know. They have forgotten. Not now. This is the nature of this material world: na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi..., to please Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu means Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu is expansion of Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa has millions of forms, as Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa and other also. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta-rūpam. Ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca. So viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam. There is no other alternative to please Him. Therefore varṇāśrama-dharma is very important. That is the beginning of perfect human civilization.

But we have lost everything. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu... He's also Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa Himself. Just to give relief to these rotten or forgotten conditioned souls of this age, Kali-yuga, He has given this one mantra, which is called mahā-mantra. What is that?

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

This class of men... Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. And gṛha-vrata means those who have made their determination that "We shall remain in this material world, or in this family life, and we are not prepared to accept any other thing."

The Vedic principle is that you remain family life for some time, not for all the days. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. As soon as you're fifty years old, you must give up family life. Compulsory. Therefore we have got... Vedic religion means varṇāśrama-dharma: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa, and brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So for brāhmaṇa, the four āśramas are compulsory. He must become a brahmacārī. Then from brahmacārī he becomes gṛhastha. Then from gṛhastha he must become vānaprastha. Then he must become a sannyāsī. But when he becomes a sannyāsī, that is the... Tyakta-karmāṇas tyakta-svajana-bāndhavāḥ. Tyakta-karmāṇaḥ. So long we are in this material world we have to work. Karma. Karma means to gain some profit. Karma, akarma, vikarma. Vikarma means against the law. Just like ordinary laws. If you are working honestly, business or karma, that's all right. But if you do something wrong, then you are punishable. So karma and vikarma. Vikarma is punishable. Karma you can do. You ripe (reap) your own fruit by working. You become big man, you become rich man, and you become poor man also, by your karma. If you cannot handle your business nicely, then you become poor man. And if you can handle your business nicely, you become rich man. That is karma. Karma means you have to enjoy the result, fruitive result. That is called karma. And vikarma means punishable, pāpa. And akarma means you do something, but you are neither punishable nor rewardable. It is rewardable, practically. And that is bhakti, or satisfying Kṛṣṇa. There is no result. There is result; ultimate result is go back to home, back... But the material... Materially, if you expect some material profit by becoming a devotee, that is not possible. That is not possible. Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). Then you become above all the resultant action of karma.

Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

He said that every man should execute his particular duty of life. That is called dharma. Now, we manufacture our duty, that is another thing, but according to śāstra, just like Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Duty means according to this cātur-varṇyaṁ, four varṇas and four āśramas. That is called dharma, sādharma. The brāhmaṇa must execute his brahminical duties, a kṣatriya must execute his kṣatriya duties, similarly vaiśya, a śūdra, a brahmacārī, a gṛhastha, a vānaprastha, sannyāsī. That is called dharma. This is material dharma, this is not spiritual dharma. Material dharma means so long we are under the concept of this body, there are certain duties. That is called material dharma. Just like we eat, this is also one of the duty, because if I don't eat, then I shall die. But what kind of food I shall eat, that is described in the śāstra, that sattvic, rajasic, tamasic bhojana. So if we follow the instruction of the śāstra, dharma-śāstra ... They are called dharma-śāstra, the regulative principles. There are twenty kinds of dharma-śāstra, just to regulate because every one of us come to enjoy this world. Just like government rules and regulation. Suppose you are selling liquor. The thing is bad, but because people want it, government gives license that you can sell for the drunkard but under these rules and regulations, not freely. Similarly, the living entities, all the conditioned souls who have come here in this material world, their real purpose is how to enjoy this material world. They have no other purpose. Because a living entity is not enjoyer, he is servitor. But when he wants to enjoy, he is sent into this material world. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vañcha kare. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, our only duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa. There is no other duty. Therefore Kṛṣṇa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We have no other duty, just to serve Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

This is the opportunity to understand God and make solution of all different types of births and deaths and transmigration from one body to another.

And as soon as I get a material body, immediately there are so many miserable condition. But I am... As spirit soul, part and parcel of God, I have nothing to do with all these things, but I have been forced to be working with these problems of life. This is human intelligence. Therefore he requires to live a saintly life. It is not possible, of course, that everyone should become saintly. That is not possible. Therefore in the Vedic civilization it is prescribed, varṇāśrama-dharma. Varṇāśrama-dharma. Varṇa means four classification of the society, and āśrama means four division of spiritual life. The society, it is not meant for any particular nation or particular community. It is meant for the whole human society. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The human society should be divided into four groups. What is that? The first-class men. There are first-class, second-class, third-class, fourth-class men. We have got our experience. Not that everyone is equally intelligent. No. There is difference of classification or intelligence or genuineness. There are so many things, division. So here also you have got division, classification. That is natural.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:

As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Vedic knowledge was first of all taken up by the kṣatriyas. Brāhmaṇas, they used to cultivate knowledge and they used to advise the kṣatriyas, rulers, and they took it and they distributed to the general mass of people for the elevation of the spiritual platform. This is civilization. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). This is creation of God, cātur-varṇyaṁ: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is called varṇa, and as spiritual cultivation, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So our civilization, Vedic civilization, means varṇāśrama-dharma, following the four principles of varṇas and four principles of āśrama. The ultimate goal is God realization. That is the human civilization. If there is no God realization, simply working hard day and night for sense gratification, it is accepted as hog civilization, dog civilization. That is stated here: nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1).

Then, if we give up this kind of civilization, then what is to be done? Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet. The next engagement is tapasya, tapo. Tapasya means austerity, penances, voluntarily acceptance of something, some means of activity which may not be very palatable. But still, we have to do that. Just like a patient, if he is forbidden by the physician not to take a certain type of foodstuff, it may be pain... Just like typhoid fever. The doctor advises, "Don't take any solid food." But if we... I am accustomed to take paratha. So in typhoid to take paratha means death. Similarly, we have to follow the sastric injunction. If we really want to come out this material bondage... Material bondage means this body. Our real problem is this body. That we do not know. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). This will come, that "We have now become mad after sense gratification." Pramattaḥ.

Lecture on SB 5.5.4 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1976:

This is bhajan, bhajana-kriyā. Atho bhajana-kriyā. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Sadhu-sanga (CC Madhya 22.83). So mahat-sevā means sādhu-saṅga. If you associate with devotees, that is called sādhu-saṅga, mahat. Each devotee is mahātmā. And the signs are given there: mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā (SB 5.5.2), we have already discussed. And another mahātmā is also ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā.

The main business is how far one is devoted to Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. It doesn't mean that one has to become a sannyāsī or one has to remain a gṛhastha. There are four āśramas. You should accept whichever is suitable for you, but the business is how to serve Kṛṣṇa. That's if you find that remaining as a gṛhastha, you can serve more Kṛṣṇa, that's all right. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has accepted this. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir. Sthāne, sthāne means everyone has got some position. So it doesn't require that you have to change your position. But the real business is you have to see how far you are making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanted. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,

kibā vipra, kibā śūdra nyāsī kene naya

yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei 'guru' haya
(CC Madhya 8.128)

He never says that only the sannyāsīs should be guru: kṛṣṇa bhajanete nāhi yāti-ulādi-vicāra; or becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, there is no such distinction of caste, creed, position. No.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:

That is his proposition. So here he was attached to the family. Lālayānasya tat-sutān. Atha gṛhas kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair. Material bondage is that family affection. It is not that one has to give up this procedure. No. That is not. The Vedic civilization is so nice that you accept the platform which is suitable. The brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa... The spiritual... These are called āśrama. Āśrama means where spiritual culture is practiced. That is called āśrama. Perhaps you know this āśrama word. Āśrama means it is not a place for sense gratification; it is a place for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is āśrama.

So there are four āśramas for your spiritual cultivation: brahmacārī, gṛhastha... Gṛhastha is also āśrama, family. That is also āśrama. If the gṛhastha life is meant for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is all right. This is āśrama. Gṛhastha-āśrama. Then retired life, vānaprastha. Although gṛhastha-āśrama is allowed, but not the for all the time that up to the death. No. That is not allowed after fiftieth year. Twenty-five years, to fifty year, fiftieth year the young man's spirit is there, the sex power is strong, so this gṛhastha-āśrama is a concession for satisfying sex, that's all. But not more than fifty years. Then you must give up. That is the Vedic civilization. We accept gṛhastha-āśrama. Up to twenty-fifth year you remain a brahmacārī, learn from guru how to become brahmacārī, gurukula. Brahmācāri gurukule vasan dānta: how to practice self control, sense control. A brahmacārī is forbidden to see even young girl, even the spiritual master's wife is young. Sometimes spiritual master's wife is considered as mother. Ādau mātā guru-patni. There are seven mothers. So real mother, ādau mātā, guru-patni, the spiritual master's wife, she is also mother. Ādau mātā guru-patni brāhmaṇi, the wife of a brāhmaṇa is mother. Actually every woman is mother. That is moral instruction. Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. Anyone, any woman who is not your wife, except your wife, everyone, every woman is to be considered as mother. This is education. And that (indistinct) of education is defined by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, that who is paṇḍita, learned.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:

Just see. One man, simply saw with lusty desire to a young woman, he was rejected. And one man has his wife pregnant, He adored him, "That's all right." So sex life is not forbidden in this movement but hypocrisy is forbidden. If you become hypocrite, then there is no (indistinct). That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching. Choṭa Haridāsa, he represented himself as a brahmacārī and he was looking after a young woman. Then He understood, "He is a hypocrite. Reject him." And Śivānanda Sena, he was gṛhastha, gṛhastha must have children. What is wrong there? He said, "Yes. My remnants of foodstuff should be given." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. So our request is, don't be hypocrite. There are four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Whichever āśrama is suitable for you, you accept, but sincere. Don't be hypocrite. If you think that you want sex, all right. You marry and remain like a gentleman. Don't be hypocrite. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. He did not like hypocrisy. Nobody likes. But for a person who is seriously engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, for him sex life and material opulence is not very good. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu opinion. Parāṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava... Niṣkiñcanasya bhajanonmukhasya parāṁ param... Therefore voluntarily Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa. He was very nicely situated in his family life, and He was family man, He married twice. One wife died and He married again. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught us not to become, but when He took sannyāsa He was very, very strict. No woman could come very near to Him. From distance. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching.

Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Honolulu, May 23, 1976:

That is his proposition. So here he was attached to the family. Lālayānasya tat-sutān. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra sutāpta vittaiḥ (SB 5.5.8). Material bondage is that family affection. It is not that one has to give up this procedure. No, that is not.

The Vedic civilization is so nice that you accept the platform which is suitable for you, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. The spiritual... These are called āśrama. Āśrama means where spiritual culture is practiced. That is called āśrama. Perhaps you know this āśrama word. Āśrama means... It is not a place for sense gratification. It is a place for advancing in Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is āśrama. So there are four āśramas for your spiritual cultivation: brahmacārī, gṛhastha... Gṛhastha is also āśrama, family. That is also āśrama. If the gṛhastha life is meant for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is all right. This is āśrama. Gṛhastha āśrama, then retired life, vānaprastha. Although gṛhastha āśrama is allowed, but not for all the time, that up to the death, no. That is not allowed. After fiftieth year... Twenty-five years to fiftieth year the young man's spirit is there, the sex power is strong, so the gṛhastha-āśrama is a concession for satisfying sex, that's all. But not more than fifty years. Then you must give up. That is the Vedic civilization. You accept gṛhastha āśrama.

Up to twenty-fifth year you remain a brahmacārī, learn from guru how to become brahmacārī, guru-kula. Brahmacārī gurukule vasan dānta, how to practice self-control, sense control. A brahmacārī is forbidden to see even young girl. Even the spiritual master's wife is young... Sometimes spiritual master is considered as mother. Ādau mātā guru-patnī. There are seven mothers. So real mother, ādau mātā... Guru-patnī, the spiritual master's wife, she is also mother. Ādau mātā guru-patnī brāhmaṇī. The wife of a brāhmaṇa is mother. Actually every woman is mother. That is moral instruction. Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. Anyone, any woman who is not your wife, except your wife, every woman is to be considered as mother. This is education.

Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Honolulu, May 23, 1976:

One man, simply he saw with lusty desire to a young (woman) man; he was rejected. And one man has his wife pregnant; He adored him: "That's all right." So sex life is not forbidden in this movement but hypocrisy is forbidden. If you become hypocrite, then there is nowhere to... That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching. Choṭa Haridāsa, he presented himself as a brahmacārī and he was looking after a young woman. Then He understood, "He is a hypocrite. Reject him." And Śivānanda Sena, he was a gṛhastha. Gṛhastha must have children. What is wrong there? He said, "Yes, my remnants of foodstuff should be given." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement.

So our request is, don't be hypocrite. There are four āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Whichever āśrama is suitable for you, you accept, but sincere. Don't be hypocrite. If you think that you want sex, all right, you marry and remain like a gentleman. Don't be hypocrite. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. He did not like hypocrisy. Nobody likes. But for a person who is seriously engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, for him sex life and material opulence is not very good. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's opinion. Pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava..., niṣkiñcanasya bhajanonmukhasya, pāraṁ param... Therefore voluntarily Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa. He was very nicely situated in His family life. When He was family man, He married twice. One wife died; He married again. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught us not to become... But when He took sannyāsa, He was very, very strict. No woman could come very near to Him. From distance... This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching. So you have to follow strictly the rules and regulation. If you are serious, then this is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement.

Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Chicago, July 8, 1975:

One has to take leave from this family life and accept the vānaprastha. Vānaprastha means prior to accepting the renounced order of life. The husband and wife goes out of home and travels in many holy places to associate with holy man and take his instruction just to prepare for sannyāsa. So when one is fully equipped in knowledge, then he asks his wife to go to home to be taken care of by the elderly children, and he becomes a sannyāsī. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma. This is real purpose of life. Four varṇas, four classes of men, up to fourth class, not up to tenth class. And then spiritual life: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This institution is called varṇāśrama-dharma: four varṇas and four āśrama. So when one is educated or trained up by this varṇāśrama institution, then his human life begins. Otherwise he is animal. One who does not take to this varṇāśrama-dharma, he remains in the animal life. That is the Vedic system. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu enquired from Rāmānanda Rāya, "What is the aim of life?" Rāmānanda Rāya immediately replied that,

varṇāśramācāravatā
puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā
nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam
(CC Madhya 8.58)

The real purpose of life, goal of life, is to satisfy Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu, Lord, the Supreme Lord, or Kṛṣṇa. This is life, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, to know Kṛṣṇa, and try to satisfy Him. That is life.

Lecture on SB 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975:

So he became sinful because he left his married wife and he became attracted with a śūdrāṇī immediately. That has been described in the previous verse. Visasarjācirāt pāpaḥ. Pāpaḥ means sinful man. He became sinful immediately. Therefore we stress on marriage. They cannot understand why this association stresses so much for marriage, not to live... They live as friend. That is śūdra. There is no legal marriage. Śūdra and śūdrāṇī. Just like he was living with the śūdrāṇī—he was not married—as friend. So even śūdra's marriage there is. For the śūdra there is one āśrama—that is gṛhastha āśrama. And for the brāhmaṇas, four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is for the brāhmaṇas. For the kṣatriya: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, and vānaprastha. For the vaiśyas: brahmacārī and gṛhastha. And for the śūdras: no brahmacārī, only family life, and that also sometimes without marriage. This is the low-grade, first-grade, second-grade. So now to live as friend, a śūdra, that is now current all over the world. Now marriage is being forgotten. That is also written the śāstra, that "There will be no more marriage. One man and woman should live together by agreement." That is going on now in Kali-yuga. Svikāram eva hy udvāhe, it is stated. Simply agree: "Yes, you become my bedfellow; I become your bedfellow." That's all. Finished. Svikāram eva hy udvāhe. That is marriage. No more that ceremonial marriage. That is being forgotten. This is Kali-yuga now. Dāmpatyam eva hi... Ratim eva hi dāmpatye: "And their so-called unity, man and woman, means sex." There is no other meaning. Dāmpatye, union of man and woman, means sex. There is no other religious system, that husband, wife, live together; they should cooperate for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These things are being forgotten.

Lecture on SB 6.2.2 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1975:

Who are punishable? They are nondevotees, those who are sinful. So anyone who is not following the principles of religion, they are to be punished, because the human form of life is meant for executing religion. Not the animals.

So if we do not follow religious principle, then we are punishable. You cannot escape. Exactly if you do not follow the state laws, then you are punishable, criminal. Similarly the original law or original controller, the original king is Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). These rascals, those who manufacture religion, they do not know that religion can be given by Viṣṇu, and we have to satisfy Viṣṇu. Therefore there is varṇāśrama-dharma: four varṇas and four āśramas. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. This is the conception of human civilization, Aryan civilization. There are Aryans and non-Aryans. Aryan means who follow the varṇāśrama-dharma. They are Aryans. In India they were following strictly this varṇāśrama-dharma; therefore they were Aryans. Not now, formerly they were. Why? By the varṇāśrama-dharma one can please the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu.

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

Therefore they are called gṛha-vrata. Gṛhastha... There are two words in Sanskrit language. One is gṛha-stha, and one is gṛha-vrata or gṛha-medhi. Gṛhastha means gṛhastha-āśrama. As soon as... Those who are conversant with Vedic language, they know. Āśrama means something in connection with God. That is called āśrama. So gṛhastha-āśrama means one may live with family, children, wife, children, friends—that's all right. Live. Whatever life is suitable for you, you accept. But you change Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is āśrama. Therefore it is called brahmacārī-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama, vānaprastha-āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama. This is varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. We are wrongly called Hindus. This is a wrong designation given by the Muhammadans. We don't find this word in any Vedic literature, "Hindu." It is a foreign word. Real word is varṇāśrama. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa parā pumān. That is Vedic civilization, four varṇas and four āśramas. Four varṇas means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. One who follow this system of civilization, they are called varṇāśramī. So the "Hindus" is a foreign name given to these Indians by the neighborhood Muhammadans. Actually, Hindu is not to be found. So when we call ourselves Hindus, that is misconception of Indian civilization. Real concept of Indian civilization, Vedic civilization, is varṇāśrama dharma.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Hong Kong, April 18, 1972:

By nature's law we have to transmigrate in so many species of life, from aquatics to plants, trees, then insects, then flies, then birds, then beast, then uncivilized human being. Then we have got this civilized form. Especially those who are born in India. Because in India the varṇāśrama-dharma is here. India, Hindu, Hindu is a foreign name given by the Mohammedans. Actually our real position is followers of the varṇāśrama-dharma. Four varṇas and four āśramas. This is the stepping stone for civilized life, varṇāśrama. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This system of social order, I mean to say, spiritual and material, it is so systematically done that one who follows this system, automatically he becomes at the end Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the highest objective. Unfortunately they do not know it. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are enchanted by the glaring materialistic, material energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Just like we come from airport to this hotel. This city is very nice. Not only this city. I am traveling all over the world. There are very very nice cities in Europe, America, and other countries also. It is all right. You decorate this city nice, you make your life very comfortable. But if you forget Kṛṣṇa, then you are defeated. Then you are defeated. That is the instruction given by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna. Yuddhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). Arjuna did not stop his fighting capacity. He was a kṣatriya. And Kṛṣṇa did not encourage him that you should stop fighting. Rather Arjuna was trying to stop fighting. Kṛṣṇa said, "No. You are kṣatriya. You cannot stop fighting." So don't think that by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious one becomes a vagabond. No. One gentleman talked with me that "Your Vaiṣṇava philosophy has made our country coward."

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

This body, human form of body, is obtained after many, many millions of years through evolutionary process. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, 8,400,000 species of life we had to come through. Then we have got this body, human form of life, and civilized. Civilized, according to our Vedic conception, a civilized means ārya, ārya. When Arjuna was declining to fight, Kṛṣṇa condemned him, anārya-juṣṭam: "You are just like..., speaking like an anārya, not an ārya. It is your duty. You must do it." Anārya-juṣṭam akīrtiṁ karam arjuna. "You'll be defied by others. Don't do it." So an ārya... Aryan means who accepts this varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas, four āśrama. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58).

The real aim is to go back to home, back to Godhead, Viṣṇu. So this is the process. If we execute this varṇāśrama-dharma rightly, then we gradually make progress towards spiritual realization. It is so arranged in that way, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, not by birth but by qualification. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). If these qualifications are found anywhere else, you should accept that. Even...

That is explained by Nārada, that yasya hi yal-lakṣanaṁ proktaṁ varṇabhivyañjakam. Just like in the court, there is no such race or caste as lawyers. Anyone who knows law, he is accepted a lawyer. Similarly, the quality of brāhmaṇa is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, śamo dama titikṣa satyaṁ śaucam ārjavam, jñānaṁ-vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So you can train anyone. Just like you can train anyone as lawyer, you can train anyone as an engineer or medical practitioner, similarly, you can train anyone as brāhmaṇa. That is wanted. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Incarnation means somebody's incarnation. So who is that somebody? That is Kṛṣṇa. That's all. If you do not know it, you understand now.

Acyutānanda: One more question, last question. Is it necessary that a person should pass through the three āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, before coming to sannyāsa?

Prabhupāda: That is the normal rules and regulation, that especially brāhmaṇa, he must go through the four āśramas, first of all become brahmacārī, then gṛhastha, then vānaprastha, then take sannyāsa. This is for the brāhmaṇas. And for the kṣatriyas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, and vānaprastha. And for the vaiśyas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha. And for the śūdras, only gṛhastha. This is the process. This is normal process. But either one is brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vai\ zya and śūdra, if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness he becomes above these rules and regulations. (applause) Yes.

māṁ cāvyabhicāriṇi
bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
(BG 14.26)

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that it is giving immediate lift to everyone to come to the transcendental platform, brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. But general state is varṇāśrama-dharma. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when he was discussing with Rāmānanda Rāya, he first of all said, "What is the aim of life?" Caitanya Mahāprabhu (was) asking. So Rāmaṇanda Raya replied that "First of all to begin this varṇāśrama dharma." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya, āge kaha āra: "Yes, this is all right. But this is external. If you know something better, please tell me." So in this way, step by step, Caitanya Mahāprabhu...

Lecture on SB 7.6.7 -- Vrndavana, December 9, 1975:

There is no such education. They think human life is as cheap as dog's life, but factually it is not. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). One gets this human form of life, 8,400,000 species of life, especially advanced life, the Aryan civilization... Aryan means advanced, advanced in spiritual knowledge. The materialists, they claim Aryan only from the bodily conception, but that is not the fact. Anyone who is advanced in spiritual life, they are called Aryans. Anārya-juṣṭam. Arjuna was chastised by Kṛṣṇa that "You are talking like non-Aryan." Anārya-juṣṭam. So non-Aryan and Aryan, what is the difference? The Aryan civilization means this varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas, four āśramas. And non-Aryan means there is no division. Everyone is one or equal. That is advocated now at the present moment. In India also, they think of casteless society, no caste. But it is not caste. It is division of culture. Brāhmaṇa means advanced in culture, kṣatriya means less advanced than the brāhmaṇa, and vaiśya means less advanced, and śūdra is less advanced, and the pañcamas, fifth grade, sixth grade, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18), they are less. In this way high grade and low grade division of the society, one who follows the high grade culture, they are called Aryans, Arya. In many places in Vedic literature the superior person is addressed as Arya.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- New Vrindaban, June 25, 1976:

First of all, training, no sex life. If you can remain without sex life, brahmacārī, it is very good. But if you cannot, then get yourself married, live with wife, but have sex only for progeny, not for sense enjoyment. Therefore even one is married, if he's sticking to one wife and the wife is sticking to one man, that is real married life, then the husband is also called brahmacārī. Even though he's a gṛhastha. And the wife is called chaste.

So this is human civilization. Gṛhastha. That also allowed only for a few years. Not few years. Formerly, as we have calculated that people used to live for hundred years, so twenty-four years, twenty-five years, brahmacārī; twenty-five years, gṛhastha; twenty-five years, vānaprastha; and last twenty-five years, sannyāsa. Ultimately sannyāsī, training. So in these four āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa, in three āśramas, there is no sex life. Brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Only gṛhastha allowed sex life. That is also restricted only for begetting children. So in the Vedic civilization sex life is actually denied. Only in gṛhastha life with the restriction. Not that whenever I like. No. That is bondage. So long we'll be attached to sex life, then we'll have to accept this material body. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham (SB 7.9.45). We should remember this. But what will be the effect unless we are trained up? People are not educated what is the value of life, how life should be conducted, what is the aim of life. But everything can be done. It is no difficulty. Just like a man practicing to lift... I think everyone, you know, if he takes on his back one small calf, it grows, when the calf becomes a very big bull one can lift. This is practice. But all of a sudden, if you want to lift one big bull on your shoulders, that is not possible. But if you practice to take the little calf from the very beginning, it grows and your strength grows. It grows... This is gradual process. So in the human form of life, the whole training is... That is Vedic civilization, how to avoid sex life. That is liberation. If I have got desire for sex life, some way or other, then I will have to take birth again in this material world to satisfy.

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976:

So the first training, how to create a brahmacārī... This is human civilization. Unless one comes to the platform of varṇāśrama-dharma... This Hindu dharma, this is not the proper word. Hindu, this word, is not found in the Vedic literature. It is a foreign word, from Sindu to Hindu. It is the word given by the Muslims. The other side of the Sindu, the Muslim countries begin. So the Muslim used to call this part, the other side of the river Sindu, "Hindu." So our real, this Bhāratavarṣa, real dharma, is varṇāśrama-dharma. Here it is not said, "Hindu dharma." Brahmacārī. Four āśramas-brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So the beginning of life is brahmacārī, how to remain a celibate. It is very scientific. People have neglected this culture and they are suffering. It is so essen... Because they do not know what is the aim of life, so in the Bhagavad-gītā all these people have been described as mūḍha, rascals. They do not know what is the aim of life.

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ
durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ
andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās
te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ
(SB 7.5.31)

These people, especially modernized people, according to śāstra and scientifically... It is not the śāstra accuses mūḍha. Kṛṣṇa says. It is not that Kṛṣṇa is angry upon anyone. Actually, one who does not know the aim of life, he is mūḍha, rascal, that's all. He does not know. Simply they are working so hard like animals and eating, sleeping and mating, and they are thinking this is the end of life. Therefore they are mūḍhas. That is not life. The birds and beasts, they are also doing the same thing. In the morning they find out any tree, anywhere they stop, and small fruits they can eat.

Lecture on SB 7.12.4 -- Bombay, April 15, 1976:

The sacred thread is the indication that he is twice-born. First of all he was born by the father and mother; now he has approached guru, and guru gives him initiation and sacred thread. That means he is under the care of guru. That is required. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Unless one takes shelter of ācārya, he is careless. Not careless; he is not taken care of. He is vagabond. If one does not take shelter of ācārya, then he is a vagabond. Therefore in India we see so many vagabonds: no employment, no caretaker, loitering in the street, playing at noontime, no engagement. This is the defect because we have lost our own culture. Although this culture—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī—is Indian culture, unfortunately we have given up. Varnāśrama-dharma, varṇa, four varṇas and four āśramas, they're simply giving up. No more brāhmaṇa, no more kṣatriyas, no more vaiśyas, no more śūdras. They are less than śūdras. Pañcama. Less then śūdra means caṇḍāla. Kirāta-hūṇāndra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ. There are so many divisions of caṇḍālas. Pañcama. They are called pañcama. So the whole thing is topsy-turvied. We have given up our own culture and imitating the foreigners and the Western country. That also we cannot do very properly because we are meant for different purpose in India. In India, one who has taken birth in India, it is understood that in his previous birth he tried to cultivate spiritual culture; therefore he has been given the opportunity to take birth in India. India is so fortunate. But as soon as he takes birth, the rascal leader spoils him, the rascal father spoils him, the rascal teacher spoils him. So what can they do, the poor younger generation? They are being taught that "The spiritual culture is useless. Because we are so much spiritually inclined, the foreigners came and they ruled over us. Now give up all this nonsense. Become technologist." This is going on.

So this will not make us happy. This is a fact, that punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30).

Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:

Simply by dress. Suppose... Just like sannyāsī. Because a sannyāsī has to dress himself in these saffron-color garments, so sannyāsī has the privilege, if he goes to a householder's house, he is very respectfully received, and if he wants something, the householder gives him. That is the system. Now, if somebody sees that "It is a very cheap process of earning money, so let me dress in this saffron color and beg from door to door. What is the use of laboring so hard...?" So that will go on. Misuse of dress. Misuse of dress. Liṅgam eva āśrama-khyātāu. Āśrama, a gṛhastha. Āśrama means... There are four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsī. They have got different dresses. But they have got different duties also. But in the Kali-yuga, simply by dress one should be known that either he is a sannyāsī or a brahmacārī or gṛhastha.

Avṛttyā nyāya-daurbalyam... I shall explain another one line: avṛttyā nyāya-daurbalyaṁ pāṇḍitye cāpalaṁ vacaḥ. If you have no money, then you cannot get justice. Formerly, if somebody has done injustice to you, you could go in the open court. Because the king used to sit in assembly, and any of the citizens could go there and put his complaint: "My lord, I have been done so wrong by such and such." He could complain, and immediately the judgment is given. That was the system. Now in the Kali-yuga there is court. Suppose you have been insulted, you have been done wrong by somebody, if you want to go to court, oh, immediately you have to find out first about the fees of the lawyer and the stamp fees and so many things. And if you have no money, oh, there is no justice. If you have no money, then there is no justice. Therefore he says, avṛttyā nyāya-daurbalyam. Nyāya means justice, and daurbalyam means weakness. Avṛttyā means without money.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

He immediately replied that a human being must, first of all, come to the standard of varṇāśrama-dharma. Four varṇas and four āśramas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha... Unless they come systematically, life on these principles, they're animals. They're not human beings. They're... That was our Indian, Vedic civilization. Now they have manufactured their religion: yata mat tata path. You can manufacture your own way and you be satisfied. This is being... So many. You can see in Bombay, so many rascals are preaching. They, there is no standard thing. So it is very difficult for us to give us the right thing, but we are certain. Because we are not cheating people, so it may take some time, but people are gradually coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because this is right thing.

So varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). This is the beginning of actual human life. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately replied, ihā bāhya āge kaha āra. Ihā bāhya. Bāhya means this is external. This will not very much help at the present moment. And actually that is being done. Just like we are preaching in the Western countries. If we wanted to establish varṇāśrama-dharma in the beginning, that "You become brāhmaṇa, you become gṛhastha, you become sannyāsī..." No. Then everyone would have rejected: "Sir, we are prepared for this purpose." But the process introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu... It is not introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is the sanction in the śāstras: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). This is standard method. Because we gave them the chance of hearing, gradually they're coming. Not that immediately you become brāhmaṇa. Now they are becoming more than brāhmaṇas. Here, in India, the brāhmaṇas, they are doing everything. Still they are going in the name of brāhmaṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

You revive your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and you'll become happy." That is our propaganda.

Do not misunderstand that we are trying to spread Hinduism. Hinduism is a fictitious term. Because there is no fixed-up conclusion. Somebody's accepting this, somebody... Even the Jains and the Sikhs and many other sub-religions, they are also ruled by the Hindu rules, Hindu law. So actually this word Hindu is given by the Muhammadans. We don't find this word in the Vedic literature, Hindu. It is later, I mean to say, prakṛta. Or in Bhagavad-gītā you won't find the word Hindu. Or in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Or any other Vedic literature. This is the convention of latest age. Actually, we, the followers or Vedic principles, our system is varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas. This is, this can be applicable. But varṇāśrama-dharma is applicable in any, in anywhere. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The creation of God... Just like sun. Sun is creation of God. Sun is visible everywhere. Not that something American sun and something Indian sun. No. The sun is the same. Similarly, cātur-varṇyaṁ, the four principles of division, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra, they are everywhere. It is not the monopoly of India.

Anywhere there are intelligent class of men, God conscious men, they are called brāhmaṇas. Anywhere who are prepared for the right cause, administrator, kṣatriyas. Anywhere who are interested in business, trade, agriculture, they are called vaiśyas. And anywhere who are simply satisfied by serving others, he's called śūdra. So our principle is not to proselytize from Christian to Hindu or Muhammadan to Hindu. We are teaching simply how to revive his own constitutional position to become servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So it is applicable anywhere and everywhere. It is not that it is monopoly of India or for the Hindus. No. And actually it is being accepted, practically. In all countries. Even from all religious sect. In our Society there are boys and girls, they are coming from Christian group, Jews group, Muhammadan group, but when they come here, all of them become the servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

Pradyumna: "There are four varṇas, namely, the brāhmaṇas, the priest and intellectuals; the kṣatriyas, warrior and statesmen; the vaiśyas, businessmen and farmers; and the śūdras, laborers and servants. There are also four standard āśramas, namely, brahmacarya, or student life; gṛhastha, householder; vānaprastha, retired; and sannyāsa, renounced. The regulative principles are not only for the brahmacārīs, or celibate students, to follow, but are applicable for all. It doesn't matter whether one is a beginner, a brahmacārī, or if one is very advanced, a sannyāsī. The principle of remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly and not forgetting Him at any moment is meant to be followed by everyone without fail. If this injunction if followed, then all other rules and regulations will automatically fall into line. All other rules and regulations should be treated as assistants or servants to this one basic principle."

Prabhupāda: This has been practically proved in the Western countries. These boys and girls, European and Americans, they were not informed about the regulative principles in the beginning. We enforce the regulative principle when a student is serious to become initiated. Otherwise, ordinarily, in all our centers, everyone is welcome and join the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Gradually, by mixing with the devotees, by being purified on the transcendental vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they voluntarily offer to become serious student, initiated. In this way, we have expanded. Practically the basic principle is chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and giving them some chance to hear about Kṛṣṇa from the Bhagavad-gītā as it is. This is our principle. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

Pradyumna: "This is also confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by a verse which reads, 'Everyone must be engaged in his particular duty, but the perfection of such work should be tested by how far the Lord is satisfied with such activities.' "

Prabhupāda: Yes. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Varṇa and āśrama, four varṇas and four āśrama, that division is always there. But it does not matter, division. It... Of course, comparatively, the head is important than the leg. But if everyone is engaged in the service of the Lord, then everyone becomes perfect. It doesn't matter whether he's śūdra or brāhmaṇa. It doesn't matter. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). Or svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Go on.

Pradyumna: "The injunction herein is that one is to act according to his position, and by such activities one must either satisfy the Supreme Personality or else fall down from his position."

Prabhupāda: Yes. The position may be... That is also recommended by Caitanya Mahāprabhu: sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Sthāne sthitāḥ. Sthāne sthitāḥ means position. You keep your position as brāhmaṇa, you keep your position as kṣatriya, or you keep your position as śūdra or vaiśya or brahmacārī. It doesn't matter. Sthāne sthitāḥ. Simply hear about the glories. Just like we are sitting here. There are brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśya, or śūdra. It doesn't matter. Everyone has got the privilege to hear about the glories of the Lord. And if we take up this business, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ, prāyaśo 'jito 'pi jito asi tais tri-lokyām. Kṛṣṇa is known as Ajita, but... Ajita means who cannot be conquered. So He can be conquered by this process. When Rāmānanda Raya quoted this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva, so Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirmed it. Ya ihā haya: "It is very nice." So in this age, by the recommendation of śāstra, and confirmed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we should give chance to the people for hearing about the glories of the Lord. That is the program of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We go everywhere and we give people the chance of hearing about the glories of the Lord, and gradually they become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is, practically, we are feeling it. The recommendation given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu: īhā haya, this process. Satāṁ prasaṅgāt mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra and Press Conference -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to utilize to the best possible means this human form of life. We are coming to this human form of life in the evolutionary process from aquatics to reptiles, to plants and trees, then birds and beasts, then human form of life. Out of that human form of life, there are many uncivilized form of life, just above the monkeys. But those who are civilized... Civilized means those who are following the instruction of the Vedas, varṇāśrama-dharma. The human society (is) divided into four varṇas and four āśramas. The four varṇas are social division, namely the student life, the householder life, the retired life, and renounced life. These four divisions of social life and four divisions of spiritual life—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha..., brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—in this way there are eight divisions. These eight divisions of human society are very scientifically adopted. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). This civilized division of human society is so perfect that one can gradually, from the aquatic life, can go back to home, back to Godhead.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, SB 6.3.24 -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

The beginning of real human civilization is observance of the institute of four varṇas and four āśramas. That is the beginning of civilized life. Otherwise, it is not civilized life; it is crude, uncivilized life, where there is no varṇāśrama, where there (is) no division of society according to work and quality and āśrama, spiritual life division. So Rāmānanda Rāya recommended this verse, that this is the process to satisfy the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that eho bāhya āge kaha āra, "This is external. If you know something more, better than this, you say." Why He said? There is the version, viṣṇur ārādhyate. Does it mean that He is rejecting Viṣṇu worship? No, He's not rejecting. Because generally, they, these impersonalists, Māyāvādīs, they also worship sometimes Viṣṇu, these five demigods and God. But their idea is that ultimately impersonal. The impersonal takes the form by the help of this material world. The formation takes place simply in the material. That is their opinion. Therefore they say, call, saguṇa. Saguṇa-upāsanā.

Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:

What are the division? The first-class man is a brāhmaṇa, full of knowledge, spiritual knowledge; the second-class man is the administrator, maintaining the state; and a third-class man, economic development, mercantile people; and fourth-class men, they are laborer class. This is the division of the society. And there is division of spiritual advancement. What is that? That brahmacārī, the beginning of spiritual life; then gṛhastha, householder, to live just like gentleman, with responsibility with spiritual view, householder; then vānaprastha, retired life; then sannyāsa, renounced life. These are the divisions, varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Varṇa means four division of the social system, and āśrama means four division of spiritual enlightenment.

So here it is said, "My dear brāhmaṇas, learned brāhmaṇas, according to the division of the social status and spiritual status, everyone's duty is..." What is that duty? Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. Everyone has got particular, specific occupational duty. A brāhmaṇa has got his occupational duty. The kṣatriya has occupational duty. Similarly, brahmacārī, householder, and retired—everyone has got specific duty. That is mentioned in all the śāstras. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, that is mentioned, and in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also mentioned. And one is to be understood what he is according to his quality and work, not by birth. When it is default, it is taken on the basis of birth. But actually, in the śāstras, or scripture, there is no question of birth. Anyone can become a brāhmaṇa, anyone can become a kṣatriya, anyone can become a sannyāsī, anyone can become a brahmacārī provided he acts according to the quality of the work.

Initiation Lectures

Sannyasa Initiation -- Bombay, November 18, 1975:

Sannyāsa means that finishing all material desires. The sannyāsa means, real sannyāsa, means no more material desires. It is the beginning of spiritual life. Etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhā. Parātmā, Bhagavān... To completely devote one's life for service of the Lord. There are āśramas, four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So sannyāsa means everything sacrificed for Kṛṣṇa's sake. Anāśrita-karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī. Anyone who is working without any aspiration for resultant action.... Our sannyāsīs, they work very hard, preach, they collect money—but not a single farthing for himself. The first of all, the brahmacārī is trained up. Brahmacārī guru-kule vasan dānto guror hitam (SB 7.12.1). Brahmacārī is trained up to live at the place of guru for the benefit of guru. The same principle, when it is matured and when one dedicates his life for the benefit of Kṛṣṇa... Benefit of Kṛṣṇa means benefit of the whole world. Kṛṣṇa wants sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). A sannyāsī should go door to door. Mahad-vicalanaṁ nṛṇāṁ grhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām. A sannyāsī is called mahātmā. Why he is mahātmā? Because his ātmā is now broader. Gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām. Mahad-vicalanam. Mahātmā travels or wanders country to country, door to door—mahad-vicalanaṁ nṛṇāṁ gṛhiṇām—especially for the householders, dīna-cetasām, whose consciousness or mind is very crippled. They are dīna-cetasām. All these materialistic person, they are simply interested how to enjoy senses; therefore they are called dīna-cetasām, cripple minded. They have no other idea. So to enlighten them it is the duty of the sannyāsī to go from door to door, country to country, just to teach them about the aim of life. That is still going on in India. Still, if a sannyāsī goes in a village, people will come to invite him, try to hear from him.

Wedding Ceremonies

Initiation of Sri-Caitanya dasa and Wedding of Pradyumna and Arundhati -- Columbus, May 14, 1969:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to purify the human society. And the purification process, simply by chanting, is sufficient. But still, our Gosvāmīns, they have given us some ritualistic ceremonies. That will help the process of purification. Sacrifice, offering, these things are there. But the main thing is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is sufficient. So in our society we want to establish divine society. Therefore there is need of all classes of men and all classes of social orders. Our Vedic conception is varṇāśrama-dharma. The "Hindu" term is not found in any Vedic literature. It is a name given by the Muhammadans, so far I know. It is not... Real term is varṇāśrama-dharma, sanātana-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas. Four varṇas: brāhmaṇa kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, according to qualification... And Bhagavad-gītā also says these are the qualification, brāhmaṇas: satya śama dama titikṣa ārjavam, ācāryopāsanam, brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Similarly, there are indication of the kṣatriyas, vaiśyas; and śūdras' one qualification: paricaryātmakaṁ karmaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Paricaryā, to serve others. And in this age, because everyone is after employment—without employment he cannot survive—therefore it is said, kalau śūdra sambhava. In the Kali-yuga... A brāhmaṇa is not expected to serve anyone. A kṣatriya is not expected to serve anyone, nor the vaiśyas. Only the śūdras. So kalau śūdra sambhava. Therefore actually there is no Vedic ritualistic performance for the śūdras. It is meant for the brāhmaṇas only. But there is pāñcarātrikī-viddhi for this age, when śūdras can be elevated to the position of brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava by the Vaiṣṇava-viddhi. That viddhi is a voluminous book by Sanātana Gosvāmī. But there is everything, how a brahmacārī will live, how a gṛhastha will live, how a vānaprastha will live. The summary is being practiced. And we are holding now, today, two ceremonies. Some of the boys and girls will be initiated, primarily, and one couple will be married. So according to Hindu rites, there are many kinds of marriage, eight kinds of marriages. So in this age, as we find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, marriage can be performed simply by agreement. Svīkāram eva hi udvāhe. That is sufficient. And actually it is being carried on in every country. The boys and girls go to a magistrate and give their statement and agree.

General Lectures

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

So the brāhmaṇa department, or the adviser department, is described in this verse: namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. The first thing is taken into consideration, go-brāhmaṇa. Why these two things are stressed upon? Because in a society where there is no brahminical culture and where there is no cow protection, it is not human society. So in a chaotic condition, any business you do, it will never be perfect. But in a systematized, systematic, cultural society, you do business. That is perfect. That is the instruction of Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, Bhāgavatam. In a meeting in Naimiṣāraṇya, where many learned scholars and brāhmaṇas assembled, and Śrīla Sūta Gosvāmī was giving instruction, he said: ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. The varṇāśrama is stressed. The Vedic culture means four varṇas and four āśramas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Unless we take to this institution of varṇāśrama dharma, the whole society will be in chaotic condition.

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

Then again, at the age of fiftieth year, they give up the family life, they take vānaprastha. Only the husband and wife go out of home and travels all over the holy places. Then, when one is little trained up, he sends back his wife to the care of his grown-up children, and he takes sannyāsa. This is varṇāśrama-dharma. The so-called Hindu dharma, that is a gift of the Muhammadans. We don't find the word "Hindu" in any Vedic scripture. This "Hindu" word has come from the Muhammadan countries. They used to say the people of this part of the world, means, across the river Indus, they call "Hindas" or "Hindus." So actually, Hindu not..., that is not Hindu dharma. Our... From the Vedic literature, we understand the varṇāśrama-dharma, varṇāśrama: four varṇas and four āśramas. Varnāśramacaravata. In the Viṣṇu-Purāṇa, you'll find this word. In the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find. In the Bhāgavata you'll find. So really Indian civilization or Aryan civilization, Vedic civlization, means varṇāśrama-dharma.

varṇāśramācāravatā
puruṣeṇaparaḥ pumān
viṣṇur ārādhyate puṁsāṁ
nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

So this human form of life, here, according to the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva, is not meant for working hard simply for eating, sleeping, mating and defending. This is not human form of life. This is condemned in the śāstras. Human form, the civilization means they should mold the form of the society in such a way that easily we can live and save time for spiritual culture. Therefore it is said, tapo divyaṁ putrakā (SB 5.5.1). The tapasya, the spiritual culture, is necessary. Divyam. Tapasya. Tapasya means... There are so many scholars. They also undergo tapasya for finding out, discovering... Just like we have now discovered this atomic energy. That is also tapasya.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- London, July 25, 1976:

Gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha, there are different meanings of gṛha. Especially gṛha, we mean the home, house. Gṛha-vrata and gṛhastha, they are two different. Gṛhastha means although he is in gṛha, household life, his purpose is to go back to home, back to Godhead. They are called gṛhastha. And whose only purpose is to live at home-decorate the home, decorate the wife, decorate the children and make money to live very comfortably—they are called gṛha-vrata or gṛhamedhi. They are not gṛhastha. Gṛhastha means although he's living with wife, children, family, but his purpose is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, how to go back home, back. They are called gṛhastha. So gṛhasthāśrama is as good as other āśramas. There are four āśramas. Vedic civilization means four varṇas and four āśramas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So those who are not following this principle of varṇāśrama-dharma, living like cats and dogs, they also live with wife, children. That sort of living is called gṛha-vrata. Gṛha-vratānām. Matir na kṛṣṇe: "They cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious." Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Why? Now, adānta-gobhiḥ. Go means senses. Go means cow. Go means land also. So anyone who has taken the vow of sense gratification... That is the modern world, that "Somehow or other, satisfy senses." They cannot control the senses. Adānta-go. Adānta. Dānta means control. Adānta, not controlled. Adānta-gobhiḥ. So what is that? Viśatāṁ tamisram: "They are going towards hell," because this sense gratification process, unrestricted sense gratification process, he is creating a situation of different mentality and that mentality will be prominent at the time of death, and according to that situation he'll get his next birth.

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

No. He will explain in Oriya. (break) ...that is Vedic culture. As yesterday we were talking of varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśrama—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—so the Vedic culture means to execute the varṇāśrama-dharma. Now we are known as Hindus. The Hindu word is not to be found... (break) A little disturbance will mar the situation. So, Vedic culture means this varṇāśrama-dharma. The Muhammadans from the other side of river Sindhu, they have called us Hindu. Actually, this word "Hindu" you'll not find any Vedic scripture. So to accept this position-brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa—is compulsory. It is not that one has to take sannyāsa as a fashion. No. Actually it is absolutely necessary for any person at the last stage of life to accept sannyāsa. This Rāmānanda Rāya also retired from the government service. He met Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised him that "Now you retire from your governorship and come to Jagannātha Purī, your home, and let us talk together about spiritual life." So in this way he retired. So all the associates of Caitanya Mahāprabhu-śrī-rūpa sanātana bhaṭṭa-raghunātha śrī-jīva gopāla-bhaṭṭa dāsa-raghunātha-Six Gosvāmīs, the direct disciples of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they were all in renounced order of life. Then? Read. You read. You'll hear.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Origen:

Prabhupāda: The spirit soul is within this material body, but the spirit soul has no material body originally. There is a spiritual body of the spirit soul eternally existing, and the material body is simply coating of the spiritual body. This material body is considered as coating, shirt-coat. It is cut according to the bodily shape. Just ordinarily we can see the tailor makes the shirt and coat according to the shape of the body. Similarly, these material elements, earth, water, fire, etc., mixed together, becomes like a clay, and it is coated over the spiritual body. The spiritual body has no connection with the material body. So because the spiritual body has got shape, the material body also takes a shape. That is understanding. But material body has nothing to do with the spiritual body. It is simply external coating, or it is a kind of contamination for suffering of the spirit soul. As soon as he is coated with this material contamination, he identifies himself with the coating and he forgets his real, spiritual body. That is called māyā, ignorance, and this ignorance continues so long he is not fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. When one becomes fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, then he understands that this material body is the external coating; he is different from this material body. That condition, that uncontaminated understanding, is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. The spirit soul is Brahman. He was under the illusion of bodily concept of life—that is called jīva-bhūtaḥ—and when he understands that he is not this body, he is the spirit soul within the body, that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. So when one comes to this understanding of his spiritual identity, he becomes joyful, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54), he has no more any hankering or lamentation. In that position he sees all other living entities as spirit soul. He does not see the outward covering. Even in a dog he sees the spirit soul covered by the body of a dog, and similarly a learned brāhmaṇa, he also sees the spirit soul covered by the material body designated as learned brāhmaṇa. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā this conception is summarized,

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
brahmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śva-pāke ca
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ
(BG 5.18)

So up to the animal bodily concept of life, one is unable to understand his spiritual identity. But in the civilized form of life, when the society is divided into eight divisions, varṇa and āśrama-four varṇas and four āśramas-brahman, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, four varṇas, brahmacārī, and gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsī... So a brāhmaṇa from the social status, when he becomes elevated to the position of a sannyāsī, that is the highest perfectional stage in this material world, and at that stage only he can realize his original constitutional position and he acts accordingly, and thus he becomes delivered, which is called mukti.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:

Prabhupāda: That is Vedic system, to control the whole mass of people in classification. The intelligent class, the administrative class, the productive class, and the worker class, and less than them, and in their respective position, if they cooperate for the common cause, that becomes a perfect society. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya... Therefore this system is called varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśrama, social order and spiritual order. The ultimate end is spiritual, but if the social order is not organized, then spiritual order is also disorganized. So there must be division of labor and activities. This is?

Hayagrīva: Skinner believes in what he calls reinforcement, reinforcing people's behavior. He doesn't believe in punishing people when they do wrong, but he believes more in a system of rewards. He writes, "A government may prevent defection by making life more interesting, by providing bread and circuses, and by encouraging sports, gambling, the use of alcohol and other drugs, and various kinds of sexual behavior, where the effect is to keep people within reach of aversive sanctions." So he...

Prabhupāda: He recommends these things?

Hayagrīva: So he believes that through..., by providing the people with sense gratification the government can keep people from acting in an antisocial way.

Prabhupāda: That means he is also of the same category. No, that will not help. Just like, the example is given in this connection, that when there is fire, if you think that putting more and more ghee the fire will extinguish, that is not possible. To keep the society in order they must be educated according to his capacity, and they should be engaged for common benefit. That is required. Not that to encourage them in their bad habits things will be done nicely. No. That is not possible.

Page Title:Four asramas (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:16 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=75, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:75